Skills
Dentist Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in dentists, and how to build and show them.
What skills do dentists need?
Dentists need technical skills such as restorative dentistry, oral diagnosis, and radiography, plus people skills like manual dexterity and communication. They also use tools such as Dental handpieces and Digital X-rays and intraoral cameras.
Technical (hard) skills
- Restorative dentistry
- Oral diagnosis
- Radiography
- Local anesthesia
- Extractions
- Practice management
People (soft) skills
- Manual dexterity
- Communication
- Leadership
- Calm reassurance
Tools, equipment and technology
- Dental handpieces
- Digital X-rays and intraoral cameras
- Dental instruments
- CAD/CAM crown systems
- Practice management software
- Curing lights
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how dentists put their skills to work:
- How to place a composite filling
- How to present a treatment plan
- How to give a local anesthetic injection
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Restorative dentistry” and “Oral diagnosis.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “manual dexterity,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as State dental license near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our dentist glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Dentist training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.